2018 Festival Artist Brenda Wainman Goulet

This year the Festival has chosen the late Brenda Wainman Goulet to be our artist of the year. Brenda passed away suddenly on January 18th, 2018 leaving the Huntsville community in shock. Brenda was a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design and a renowned local artist of more than 30 years.

She was a founding member of the Artists of Limberlost and a great supporter of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts. Most people know her work from the bronze statue of Tom Thomson which is outside of the Algonquin Theatre. She created statues of ‘Donny’s broom’ in downtown Huntsville and ‘George’, who sits outside the men’s shelter. She also created bronze statues of Norman Bethune in Gravenhurst and Rene Caisse in Bracebridge.

Brenda most recently created an award for us in collaboration with glass artist Susan Higgins, honouring supporters and volunteers of the Festival, as the organization celebrated its 25th Anniversary Season. The FBEA award (Festival Board’s Excellence Award) on our front cover was created by Brenda many years ago to honour our founding members and supporters.

Prior to her death, the Festival was working with her to create bronzed rubber boots as a memorial to HFA Board member Kareen Burns who was known for wearing these boots around town. At her Celebration of Life, Brenda’s family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Huntsville Art Society in honour of Brenda who was a supporter and past executive member. That money may potentially be used in the future to create an ‘Artist in the School’ program here in Huntsville in collaboration with HFA.

Brenda is greatly missed by many people in our town who remember her for her kindness and thoughtfulness and for her great contribution to the arts community. She is survived by her three lovely daughters Halley Clover, Mallory Goulet and Danielle Goulet, her mother Joyce Trafford, and her two beloved grandchildren Paul Troy and Hattie Bren.